Cultivation of different seaweed species and seasonal changes cause divergence of the microbial community in coastal seawaters

Abstract

Although the effects of certain species of seaweed on the microbial community structure have long been a research focus in marine ecology, the response of the microbial community to seasons and different seaweed species is poorly understood. In the present study, a total of 39 seawater samples were collected during 3 months from three zones: Neoporphyra haitanensis cultivation zones (P), Gracilaria lemaneiformis-Saccharina japonica mixed cultivation zones (G), and control zones (C). These samples were then analyzed using 18S and 16S rRNA gene sequencing to ascertain the fungal and bacterial communities, respectively, along with the determination of environmental factors. Our results showed that increased dissolved oxygen (DO), decreased inorganic nutrients, and released dissolved organic matter (DOM) in seaweed cultivation zone predominantly altered the variability of eukaryotic and prokaryotic microbial communities. Certain microbial groups such as Aurantivirga, Pseudomonas, and Woeseia were stimulated and enriched in response to seaweed cultivation, and the enriched microorganisms varied across seaweed cultivation zones due to differences in the composition of released DOM. In addition, seasonal changes in salinity and temperature were strongly correlated with microbial community composition and structure. Our study provides new insights into the interactions between seaweed and microbial communities.